Eight Things You Need to Know Before Buying a Dog Training Collar

How Does A Dog Training Collar Work?

Dog Training collars are a type of aversive training initially used in the 1960s to train hunting dogs. These days, Dog Training collars are often used to curb a variety of stubborn and unwanted behaviors in family dogs, from excessive barking to food aggression, as well as to train pups to stay safely within a property line or to stick close by while off leash.
Dog Training collars are not intended as a punishment, but more as a deterrent to train negative or unsafe behavior out of a dog. The theory is that your dog will associate the unwanted behavior with an uncomfortable shock and stop doing it until they no longer require the reminder.

The shock administered by an approved Dog Training collar is safe, so while it is certainly enough to get your dog’s attention and deter certain behaviors, it won’t do any lasting physical harm. With most Dog Training collars, there are several levels of enforcement, so you can set the level to reprimand the unwanted behavior accordingly. For example, many Dog Training collars will administer a beep and/or a vibration as a warning before an actual shock is delivered to your dog. The beep also allows you to give a verbal command (“No!” or “Down!”) with the warning beep or vibration to further disrupt the unwanted behavior. With boundary training (often marketed as an electric fence or an invisible fence), the Dog Training Collar is triggered by wires placed underground along the property line so the dog learns exactly how far they can go before they reach the boundary.
Once set to “shock” mode, there are usually varying levels of intensity delivered by a two-pronged device attached to a dog collar. If you’re using a Dog Training collar as a barking deterrent, the collar responds to the vibration of your dog’s vocal cords. If you’re using the collar to deter behavioral issues like food aggression, jumping or leash aggression, a remote control allows you to administer the shock in conjunction with the unwanted behavior.

Eight Things You Need to Know Before Buying a Dog Training Collar
We have chosen four pros and four cons that we think everyone should consider before using or purchasing a Dog Training collar for a dog. Please be sure to read these carefully, and feel free to ask us any questions you have about the pros and cons of using a Dog Training collar.

Pros of Dog Training Collars For Dogs

1. Adjustable Intensity

Most modern Dog Training collars give you the flexibility of a warning beep or vibration mode, and adjustable settings on the levels of shock, which can be comforting to people are who are on the fence about using a Dog Training collar. Other collars, such as spray collars, which administer a harmless but foul-smelling blast up a dog’s snout, are usually not adjustable.

2. Fast Results

Some pet owners report that it only took a few shocks to correct an unwanted behavior in their dog and after that, the beep or vibration was warning enough. Dog Training collars can also be very effective at keeping your dog on your property, which will help keep them safe while giving them freedom. Of course, more stubborn dogs may take longer to train.

3. You Don’t Need to Be Present

Dog Training collars, when used to control chronic barking, work even while you’re away from home or inside the house. This can be especially helpful if you’ve had neighbors complain about your dog’s loud protests while you’re out. The same goes for Dog Training collars as boundary control, although they do require some hands-on training. Of course, we don’t recommend leaving your dog unattended outside for extended periods of time, with or without a Dog Training collar.

4. Affordable

A Dog Training collar can be a cheaper alternative to a professional dog trainer or a fence. Dog Training collars range from $25 to about $200, depending on features such as remote control, adjustable warning/shock levels, a range of distances (usually 30 to 400 yards), and the number of collars included.

Cons of Dog Training Collars For Dogs

1. The Shock

Most pet owners can’t fathom causing pain to their pet. But even with the ability to control the intensity of the shock, you are still using aversive behavior modification. Many dog trainers choose positive reinforcement (reward) as a means of behavior modification over negative feedback.

2. The Fear

Fear in dogs can be dangerous, so you never want to train a dog with fear. With shock training, some dogs may learn to fear people, objects, or situations they associate with the collar. One pet owner we know said their dog refused to go outside after training with the invisible fence they installed and started urinating in the house instead of going to the back door.

3. Over-Correction

Without you there to control when a shock is administered, automatic bark collars and electric fences may deliver shocks unintentionally or too often. This unnecessary shock could confuse your dog by “correcting” a problem that was not even there.

4. No Positive Reward

On their own, Dog Training collars don’t reinforce good behavior with a positive reward such as your affection, verbal approval (“Good boy!”) or a tasty treat. So while a Dog Training collar may effectively deter negative behaviors like jumping on visitors or running after the mail carrier, it doesn’t reward positive behavior such as sitting patiently or obeying a command to “Stay!”. As with any training, you should always reinforce positive behavior with a reward of affection, playtime or a small treat.

For more information on dog training collar please see the link.